Together
by DedicatedToTwilight
Summary: In episode 2x03, during the elevator scene. What if things happened differently?


**Gossip Girl FanFiction **

_In episode 2x03, in the elevator scene. What if it happened slightly differently? _

**Dan's POV**

'_Serena, I still...'_

'_I know. Me too,' _she interrupted, her broken voice shredding my soul. Of course she knew. She felt it too.

The elevator door shut. The silence hurt; so did the loneliness. I knew that then, and there, I sealed my heart and gave it to her in that one last kiss. Everything I was belonged to her, and it always would.

Then everything happened so fast. A split second before the elevator descended, I heard her say 'I love you'. And I realised the huge mistake I was about to make. I would let her slip between my fingers again. She loved me, and I loved her. Too much. She was mine, and I was hers. Forever. And nothing could ever change that. We needed each other to live and to be happy, and I wouldn't give up so easily on her. I knew I never would.

After the shock ran its course and I was able to move again, I pressed at the first button I could see on the elevator panel. Nothing happened. I pressed again, adrenaline jamming my fingers against the buttons without any conscious effort from my part. Suddenly, the elevator stopped and restarted, the digital screen indicating that I was ascending.

'Hang on, Serena. I'm on my way,' I whispered, my voice resembling my shaking body. Every fibre of my being was longing for her touch, every nerve in my body yearning to be kissed by her soft lips.

It stopped. I was there, but would she be? The elevator door slowly opened, allowing me to see her. She was there, but I had never wanted to see her this way; so...damaged. She was sitting on the floor, her back against the cold wall, and her head in her hands. Every breath she took seemed to shake her to her core. Every sob that escaped her throat sent a thousand daggers to my heart.

She didn't even lift her head until I ran and knelt by her side, removing her trembling hands from her gorgeous face. She flinched at my touch and looked at me. Her eyes were hollow, rimmed with red lines of pain.

'Oh, Dan,' she sobbed, and slammed her body against mine. I wrapped my arms around her, never letting her go.

'Shh, baby, shh. I'm here, with you. And I'll never leave your side.' Her hands gripped my shirt, her nails digging into my back. I didn't mind; there was no more pain, just relief.

'Don't leave me, Dan. Please...' she cried, and I held her even tighter.

'I'm right here,' I repeated, assuring her. I freed one hand to smooth the hair from her face, now both drenched in tears. She leant into my touch, and her face fit perfectly in my hand, like they were made together. I smiled softly at this; it was just another proof that we were meant to be.

Slowly, she calmed down, her sobs becoming faint hiccups. She relaxed in my arms, and I would feel her hand caressing my back gently. I moved my hand from her face and gripped her soft hand, holding it against the small of my back. She looked up, her gaze melting with mine, and this time her eyes held the faint glimmer of hope.

'You came back for me,' she stated, her voice rough from before.

'Of course I did. I love you too, Serena.'

She smiled gently, her eyes closing to release a small droplet of water from the corner of her eye. 'You heard,' she said, resting her head against my chest again.

'I heard, and I remembered how much I loved you. When I let you go...when I said all of those things in the elevator...I just forgot. Please forgive me for it; it won't happen again, I promise. It hurts too much to lose you and...'

She put her hand against my lips, silencing them. 'Dan, stop. You're here now, and that's all that matters.' She smiled, and for the first time that night, her smile was filled with happiness.

I kissed the tips of her fingers lingering over my lips, saturating my lungs of her intoxicating scent. She rested her forehead against mine, the tips of our noses touching. She rubbed her nose against mine, and rested her hands on both sides of my face.

'I'm here, and I'm never leaving again. You're mine, and I'm not going to share you with anyone else,' I whispered, bringing our mouths that much closer.

'I don't want to belong to anyone else but you,' she declared, and joined or mouths to seal our promise.

The kiss felt so familiar; I felt at home as her arms locked around my neck, keeping me a prisoner in her embrace. My hands retraced their well-known path from her face, down her back, resting on her hips. Slowly, I pulled her closer, placing her completely on my lap. Her legs automatically hooked around me, and we just sat there, our bodies united, re-entering a much too familiar and comfortable routine.

Later that night, we walked home, hand in hand. The silence didn't hurt anymore; there were just no words to be said. Everything was right. As we entered the loft, I picked her up and kissed her until we reached my room. I set her on _our_ bed, and knelt in front of her.

'Before anything else happens, I need to ask you something,' I said, picking her soft hands in mine. 'I know it's not exactly the luxuriant hotel suite you're used to, and my Dad and Jenny are always here, and we only have one bathroom, but would you move in with me?' I whispered the last bit, my insecurities taking over.

A tear escaped from Serena's eye, rolling down her smooth cheek and stopping by the corner of the smiling lips. I reached up and kissed the spot, removing the imperfection from the stunning face. 'What's wrong, sweetheart? You know, you don't have to move in if you don't want to. It's fine, it was just a suggestion.' I was running out of things to say – never a good thing for me.

'You ramble too much, Humphrey,' she whispered and kissed me, slowly lying on the bed, my body pressing hers further into the mattress.

'Is that a 'yes' then?' I asked against her lips.

'Yes, it's a 'yes',' she whispered, and kissed my cheek slowly, before her lips were busy again, moulded against mine.


End file.
